Ask the Sales Ambassador

By Bryan Flanagan

From Chicago, IL: Can I break my fear of calling over the phone, or lead generating and prospecting for real estate business?

This issue is one that takes dedication and commitment to overcome. It also takes time to overcome.

First, identify the activities required to call/prospect/generate leads.

Second, identify the reasons why you are hesitant to perform those activities.

Third, determine if the reasons can be overcome. In other words, are those reasons so out of line with your values that you would never do them? Or, are those reasons just excuses? Or, can you actually perform the activities, you just aren’t organized? The answers to these questions may give you a strategy on how to deal with them.

Fourth, answer this question: Is it that you are not TRAINED to perform those activities or is it that you are not MOTIVATED to do those activities? The answer to this question determines the direction you take in overcoming the fear.

If the answer is you are not trained, then you start finding resources to help become proficient in the skills. If you are not motivated, then you find the resources to help you stay motivated. Remember, Zig Ziglar says, “Motivation doesn’t last, but neither does bathing! That’s why I recommend you do both daily.”

KEY POINT: You don’t have to like all the activities of your career to be outstandingly successful. But, you do have to perform those activities on a consistent basis.

Bryan Flanagan is the Sales Ambassador and premiere sales trainer for Ziglar.  You can contact Bryan at bflanagan@ziglar.com

How One Failing Salesperson Became iNvaluable

By Jill Konrath

Have you ever felt that what you’re selling is just like what your competitors offer? Well, if you think that, imagine how your prospects feel. They get multiple calls every day from sellers who are all saying the same thing.

Crazy-busy buyers don’t want to waste one iota of their precious time with these sales clones. Instead, they want to work with people who:

• Have a deep understanding of their business challenges.
• Continually bring them suggestions and insights.
• Provoke their thinking.

In today’s business environment, YOU are the primary differentiator – not your products or services. When you focus on developing and leveraging your own expertise, you’ll start seeing immediate results.

Just ask Bill. When he moved into sales at a printing firm where he’d worked for years, he thought the transition would be easy. But after leaving over 2,500 voice mail messages, he was getting nowhere.

His prospects rarely answered the phone. And, when he left messages, they never called him back. Bill was getting desperate – until the day he decided to embrace the approaches detailed in SNAP Selling.

What did he do first? He decided to quit selling “printing.” It just wasn’t working anymore.

Decision makers were simply not interested in talking to another printer who offered one-stop shopping for all their needs combined with great customer service. Their current provider was fine and their pricing acceptable.

Bill’s next step was to narrow his focus. But in what area? After reviewing a variety of projects that his company had done over the years, he decided to become a menu expert.

This is an incredibly hard decision for sellers to make—especially when business is bad. But it is necessary in order to increase your effectiveness.

With this new identity, Bill immersed himself in the restaurant industry. He learned the lingo, studied the history, analyzed how big restaurant chains worked, examined their challenges, and read everything he could on the topic of menus.

Then he targeted the companies he wanted to land as clients. As he studied their menus, he discovered ways that he could help the restaurants improve them, possibly in ways they’d not yet perceived.

He followed the trade press to identify potential opportunities for new menu sales. He looked for chains that were lowering their prices, expansions into new markets, announcements of new menu offerings, and more. When he noticed these trigger events, he’d get in touch.

Finally, he unleashed a carefully crafted campaign directly on the chief marketing officers (CMOs) of these big firms. All his communications included:

• Strong value propositions with statistics;
• Up-to-date commentary about a restaurant’s current direction; and
• Fresh new ideas about how he could help.

Things started changing almost immediately. Bill was soon engaged in interesting conversations with the marketing people. They talked about how to energize offers and drive revenue growth with newly designed menus. The “how much” question was barely a consideration.

Meanwhile, his competitors were fighting over price with the supply chain people. Because they were viewed as a commodity, they were discounting like crazy.

The results? In just two years, Bill’s company has printed over two million menus for the country’s best-known restaurants. He’s in active discussions with his top one hundred targeted restaurants. He’s blowing out his sales numbers—and having more fun than ever before.

And he’s expanding his expertise into his next target market right now—but I’m sworn to secrecy and can’t reveal it.

That’s why one of the four SNAP Rules is to Be iNvaluable. In today’s marketplace, it’s imperative for sales success.

Even if your company offers a wide product line or a variety of services, you can still choose to become a specialist — just as Bill did. While it requires an upfront time investment, the payback can be huge.

Jill Konrath is the author of SNAP Selling and Selling To Big Companies. Want to learn more about the new rules of selling to crazy-busy buyers? To get four FREE sales-accelerating tools and download two chapters of SNAP Selling, click here.  Contact Jill at jill@snapselling.com

Ziglar Recommends

 Secrets of Closing the Sale

 Zig shares tips and techniques from his vast wealth of sales experience. His insights will prove to you over and over why this is the definitive “how to” sales program. This powerful series of timeless sales messages will help you close more sales today as you build a career for tomorrow!

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Success 2.0

FREE Webcast

The Life You Choose

Creating the Future You Deserve

Presented by: Andy Andrews

 September 15, 2010

2:00 pm CDT

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Humor Break

A man takes his hamster to the vet, and after a short look at the creature the vet pronounces it dead. Not happy with the vet’s diagnosis, the man asks for a second opinion. The vet gives a whistle and in strolls a Labrador dog. The dog nudges the hamster around with its nose and sniffs it a couple of times before shaking his head. “There,” says the vet, “your hamster is dead.”

Still not happy, the man asks for a third opinion. The vet opens the back door and in bounds a cat. The cat jumps onto the table and looks the hamster up and down for a few minutes before looking up and shaking its head. “It’s definitely dead, sir,” says the vet.

Convinced, the man enquires how much he owes. “That will be $1000, please.”

“A thousand dollars just to tell me my hamster is dead?” fumes the man.

“Well,” says the vet, “there’s my diagnosis, the lab report and the cat scan.”

This newsletter is published by Ziglar, Inc.  Ziglar.com

admin Ask The Sales Expert, Uncategorized attitude, closing the sale, professional growth, sales, sales professional, strengthen skills, Zig Ziglar

Are You an IMPACT Player?

By Bryan Flanagan

The 1977-78 basketball season was not kind to the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association.  Their record was 29 wins and 53 losses.  However, the next season changed dramatically when they drafted Larry Bird.  The Celtics were hoping for an impact player to turn things around.  Larry Bird was the impact player they needed.  Bird led the 1978-79 Boston Celtics to an outstanding season of 61 wins and only 21 losses.  He was truly an impact player!  His team won 32 games more than the prior year!  He made all those around him better!  He strengthened his team and his teammates.

How can we become IMPACT players as professional salespeople? Here are a few ideas:

I = Intensity
We must be focused on our goals and dedicated to put forth the effort necessary to achieve those goals.  Intensity doesn’t mean being so serious you aren’t enjoying the process.  It does mean being serious enough to overcome obstacles that stand in the way.  Remember:  you are either intense … or you are past tense!

M = Model the correct behavior
Yogi Berra once said you could observe a lot by watching!  We should observe positive role models and “steal” the effective aspects of them.  We should then model that behavior on a consistent basis.

P = Passion
Passion is doing what makes us feel the most alive!!! We must develop a passion for what we do.  This passion will get us out of bed in the morning when we don’t feel like it.  Passion sets fire to discouragement.  Passion creates excitement in those around us.  If you light yourself with passion, people will come from miles around to watch you burn.

A = Action
By turning passion into action, we will surely make an impact!  Oftentimes, this is the biggest challenge we face — putting our passion into action.  There are times when we don’t feel like being impact players.  Our passion is at a low level and the feelings have gone.  The key is this: we must “act” our way into feeling and not wait to “feel” our way into acting.

C = Comedy Relief
We must enjoy our intensity and our modeling and our passion and our actions.  We must enjoy our journey not just the arrival.  Along the way we must remind ourselves to have fun, loosen up, and laugh out loud.  We shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously.  Remember:  angels fly because they take themselves lightly!

T = Trust
We must learn to trust ourselves.  Too often we are waiting for all the lights to turn green before we leave home.  There is an adage that states: trust your gut!  We should learn to trust our feelings.

By becoming an IMPACT player, all those around you will benefit.  Go out there today and knock ‘em alive!

Bryan Flanagan is the Sales Ambassador and premiere sales trainer for Ziglar.  You can contact Bryan at bflanagan@ziglar.com

Ziglar Recommends

Qualities of Success

Ziglar’s Qualities of Success was created with a focus on helping your people succeed. This program is designed to help you grow personally and professionally in four critical areas: qualities, abilities, skills, and attitudes. By focusing on these core areas, you gain characteristics of success, professionalism, excellence, and perhaps the very best return of all: improved overall performance.

Buy Now!

Success 2.0

FREE Webcast

True Performance Summer Series: Relationships
Presented by: Zig Ziglar

August 18, 2010
2:00 pm CDT

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Humor Break

The VP of Sales hobbled in to his house and was greeted by his wife.
“Dear,” she said, startled, “what are you doing home so early?”
“The boss and I had a fight,” he grumbled. “He wouldn’t take back what he said.”
Glowing with pride, his wife asked, “what did he say?
The VP of Sales shrugged. “You’re fired.”

This newsletter is published by Ziglar, Inc.  Ziglar.com

admin Ask The Sales Expert attitude, Bryan Flanagan, closing the sale, professional growth, sales, Sales Ambassador, sales professional, strengthen skills, Zig Ziglar

The Six P’s to Sales Performance

By Byran Flanagan

Sales Performance is achieved by implementing certain strategies, procedures, and techniques.  In a client-focused approach to selling (i.e., a relationship selling environment) we believe there are certain elements that contribute to your sales success.  Listed below is an overview of these elements. 

1. Prospecting — identifying the individuals and organizations that have a need for your products and services
2. Preparation — gathering information to assist you in contacting the prospect.  Remember:  preparation compensates for a lack of talent
3. Process — understanding the prospect’s needs, issues and concerns via a step by step sales process
4. Product — understanding your product and interpreting the values, advantages, and benefits to your prospect
5. Presentation —presenting your solution with confidence, competence and comfort
6. Person — possessing the belief in yourself and understanding your role as a business problem solver

Obviously, these will vary with your sales environment, industry, and prospect base. Yet, the above mentioned categories are important for most sales success. By mastering these elements, you will attain greater sales achievement.

And, yes, Ziglar provides education in each of the elements. For more information on how you can develop your skills in these areas, please give us a call.

Bryan Flanagan is the Sales Ambassador and premiere sales trainer for Ziglar.  You can contact Bryan at bflanagan@ziglar.com

Free Webcast

Self-Employment Exposed

Presented by Kevin Miller

July 8th

7:00 pm CDT

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Experience is Highly Overrated

By Chuck Sink

A passage in a classic book compares experience to fashion by illustrating that methods proven to be successful today will be unworkable or irrelevant tomorrow. So true! That got me thinking about the explosion of minutia cluttering the marketing profession blogs, trade pubs and websites. Keeping up with all the new media vehicles seems overwhelming and can devour our time – the only precious commodity that is 100% irreplaceable!

I believe that we in the marketing and selling professions should relax a bit and refocus on the fundamental principles of moving audiences with emotion-producing ideas to take positive action. Then we can take real advantage of the wonderful new media tools available.

Social media, after only about 3 years on the business scene, is now a full-time professional discipline in most large or marketing-driven organizations. That’s good because we need specialists to keep up with emerging media technologies and applications. I believe marketing strategists and business development executives should defer to these new pros for recommending efficient marketing tactics. The executives should focus more on the immutable principles of marketing and relationship building. By definition, principles cannot change but new rules and tactics (“best practices”) do change, often rapidly.

I liken experience to fashion; what proved trendy or useful yesterday is unworkable and irrelevant today. Think about popular personal media of the 1980′s and 1990′s such as the VHS tape, the corner video store and music on compact disc. Now even the cell phone and laptop are becoming obsolete as “smart phones” and “net books” (iPad) are mainstreaming. Mobil media technology is exploding. So just how valuable is experience? Sometimes it’s of little or no value at all, depending on product and technology lifecycles. The most experienced VCR technician is of little marketable skill value today yet in the early 1990′s his work was in high demand and business was booming for him.

Now we have all these new media apps to keep up with but I’m really positive about it. These are exciting times and I’m not the least bit worried about my skills keeping up because I have an app for that! It’s called osmosis. I’m surrounded by the technology and the people who help develop it every day and I study and absorb enough to be safe!

As a sales and marketing executive, my job is to deliver valuable messages that create a cultural and emotional attraction to my goods and services. I accomplish my best work when I’m meeting with someone, presenting to a group or having a telephone conversation utilizing primitive communications technology such as vocal chords.
A marketer may have at his fingertips the most advanced and efficient communications technologies but if his message has nothing valuable or resonant in it, even the coolest tactics will be rendered useless.

Dare I bring up age-old principles like branding? How about good old fashioned creativity? Let’s not forget great salesmanship either. There always was, is now, and forever will be an app for that stuff!

Carry on.

Chuck Sink is the Business Development Manager at wedu, Inc., a strategic marketing firm that leads the pack in brilliant thinking and creative executions.

Humor Break

A salesmanager was soliciting resumes through a recruitment agency to replace a salesperson who had just resigned.  The next day the recruitment agent came in to meet the manager and beaming he handed over a resume and said, “M’am, we have got just the right person you are looking for.  The salesmanager after skimming through the resume was visibly upset.  Puzzled, the recuritment agent enquired what the matter was.  The manager replied, “This candidate on the resume is the best salesperson we have in our company!”

Ziglar Recommends

Closes, Closes, Closes features Zig as he demonstrates the numerous sales closes described in his best-selling book, Secrets of Closing the Sale. This will prove to be a valuable sales training tool as you learn the “how to’s” of sales closing techniques.

For more information, click here.

This newsletter is published by Ziglar, Inc.  Ziglar.com

admin Uncategorized attitude, closing the sale, professional growth, sales, sales professional, strengthen skills, Zig Ziglar

Never Underestimate the Value of …

Compiled by Bryan Flanagan

We asked our subscribers to complete the above statement.  Well, you responded with some great ones.  Here goes:

Stuart submitted: “Never underestimate the value of a firm handshake; a child’s laugh; the sunshine, especially in the winter; and payment by cash.”

Becky Z writes: “Never underestimate the value of a helping hand.” 

Ralph encourages us to “never underestimate the value of making one more call at the end of the day!”

Pat emailed these: “Never underestimate the value of a compliment.  My aunt used to say, ‘Find at least five people a day who you notice because of something: new hairdo, new shirt, new dress…find something.’  Genuinely compliment them.  It makes their day and yours, too.”  She adds, “Never underestimate the value of praying ‘with’ someone, not just ‘for’ someone.  The comfort and peace it gives is truly amazing.  And, never underestimate the value of a ‘hello’ and a silent prayer as you pass someone on your walks.”

Computer trainer Doug submits: “I try to simplify concepts and technology to people.  By far the most valuable tool I have is a good analogy.  A good analogy helps us relate to something we don’t know with something that is known in order to gain understanding.”

Lynne tells an ancient truth with: “Never underestimate the value of telling the truth.  Untruths always catch up with you and it is easier to remember the truth.”

Becci reminds us to “never underestimate the value of holding the door open for someone.  I never know when I will meet this person again and that courtesy is not forgotten.”

Sharon sounds like Zig Ziglar when she says, “Never underestimate the value of a good attitude!  A good attitude will take you a long way in this world.  Also, never underestimate the value of a friend.”

Nelson writes that we should never underestimate the value of unexpected customer service.  He relates the story of his father-in-law solving a problem for a shopper at Christmas.  The lady had 25 sweaters shipped to a ski lodge for her children and grandchildren.  The packages were beautifully wrapped, but no one could tell which box belonged to whom.  The store flew the wrapping manager to the lodge to re-wrap and mark the boxes prior to the rest of the family’s arrival.  That’s unexpected service.

Brian reminds us to never underestimate the value of the Ultimate Textbook On Life…the Bible.

Thanks for these great responses.  Go to the comment section to add your own opinion.

Bryan Flanagan is the Sales Ambassador.  He is dedicated to helping you succeed in the world of sales.  See him in action!

Tips on How to Write a Sales letter

By Allan Wu

Sales letters are important tools for effective Internet marketing. The purpose is to generate new leads or increase sales. The first impression for your customer is created by a sales letter. Since they are so significant, many companies hire professional writers to create them. However, if the size of your business is small or you are just starting out, you may not have the budget to pay a professional writer. In such a case, you will need to write it yourself. Here is some advice on how to create one.

 
Before starting to write, identify your target audience. Try to imagine what the needs of a typical customer belonging to this target audience group would be like. Think of what kind of problems such a customer might face and see how you can solve their problem through your products or services. This will help you write a truly persuasive sales letter.

 
Avoid using passive voice in your sales copy. Use active voice and stick to powerful verbs. You should make your writing as action-oriented as possible.  Do not be vague in your writing. Your confidence in your products and services should be reflected in your writing.

 
The best way to reach across to your customers is to write to them in a casual, friendly tone. Avoid writing formally and try to personalize your writing as far as possible. While writing, imagine that you are speaking to someone who is sitting in front of you. Through this technique you will be able to get across to thousands of customers who will feel as if you have written the sales letter just for them.
First, list the features of your products and then see how you can best transform these into benefits. Instead of just providing a list of features, try and show the customer how they can benefit by using your product. Personalize your writing by using the word “you” very often.

 
The facts stated in your sales letter should be 100% accurate. Include customer testimonials only if you have actually received them from customers.

 
The introduction to your sales letter should be powerful and compelling so that the reader is encouraged to read the rest of the copy. You could also add an important point in the P.S. line.
Do not assume that the reader knows what you want them to do. You need to tell the reader what to do next.

Your sales letter should be interesting and exciting enough to grab the reader’s attention. Uninspiring sales copy is of no use, as the reader will probably stop reading it half-way through.

Make sure your sales letter is free of spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

 
Allan enjoys writing on a variety of subjects. Other than the above topic, he also likes to set up sites on different topics. Do check out his new site which covers useful information on cheap dumbbells and cheap weights.

Success 2.0

Free webcast!

Zig Ziglar interviewed by Chris Widener

June 29th in the afternoon

True Performance Summer Series: Faith

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Lighter Side of Selling

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, “I am very rich. Marry me!”

That’s Direct Marketing.
You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl.
One of your friends goes up to her, points at you and says,
“He’s very rich. Marry him.”

That’s Advertising.
You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and get her telephone number.
The next day you call and say, “Hi, I’m very rich. Marry me.”

That’s Telemarketing.
You’re at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
You get up and straighten your tie; you walk up to her and pour
her a drink.
You open the door for her; pick up her bag after she drops it,
offer her a ride, and then say,
“By the way, I’m very rich. Will you marry me?”

That’s Public Relations.
You’re at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
She walks up to you and says, “You are very rich.”

That’s Brand Recognition.
You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, “I’m rich. Marry me.”
She gives you a nice hard slap on your face.

That’s Customer Feedback!!!!

Ziglar Recommends

Qualities of Success

Ziglar’s Qualities of Success was created with a focus on helping your people succeed. This program is designed to help you grow personally and professionally in four critical areas: qualities, abilities, skills, and attitudes. By focusing on these core areas, you gain characteristics of success, professionalism, excellence, and perhaps the very best return of all: improved overall performance.

Buy it now!

This newsletter is published by Ziglar, Inc.  Ziglar.com

admin Uncategorized attitude, closing the sale, professional growth, sales, sales professional, strengthen skills, Zig Ziglar

Ache Versus Pain

By Bryan Flanagan

How much money do you make on the sales you almost close?  I mean, when you get real close?  When the prospect is about to sign the agreement, or about to say “yes.”  How much do you make when the sale is that close?

That’s right…you make the same amount of money as I do on the sales I almost close: zero, nada, zip!

So, do you ever wonder why you don’t win more of the “close ones”?  The answer may be the difference between “ache” and “pain.”  Most prospects don’t take action until they are in enough “pain” to change their current situation.  They may have some discomfort, they may have some pain.  But they are not hurting enough to discontinue using the incumbent competitor and switching to your company.  Perhaps this story will illustrate the point.

Two West Texas farmers were talking one afternoon.  The visiting rancher noticed his friend’s dog lying on the porch.  The dog was moaning.  He asked, “Why is your dog moaning?”  The answer, “Well, he’s lying on a nail.  But he’s not in enough pain to move!”
Until your prospect is in “enough pain to move” – to take action – then the prospect will not change – will not agree to buy your product or service.

Your challenge as a sales professional is to uncover the prospect’s pain.  In order to achieve this, you must assist the prospect in becoming aware of the existing needs, the existing “pain.”  This is achieved by asking appropriate questions.  Here are a few examples.
“Mr. Prospect, how satisfied are you with your current situation?  Are you dissatisfied enough to take action today?”

“Mr. Prospect, if you could change your current situation, what would be the benefit to you?”

“Mr. Prospect, if you could receive greater coverage at lower costs, how would that impact your budget?”

These questions are intended to move the prospect from being in an “ache position” to a “pain position.”  Once the prospect is in pain, your chances of winning the business are increased…
Now, go sell somebody something!

Bryan Flanagan can help you win more of the “close ones.”  His latest sales program is entitled “Bryan Flanagan on Sales and Motivation.”  Check out more from Bryan.

Sure, image takes time, but that’s my job!

By Larry Galler

 I was sitting in an audience, listening to a presentation given by a person who successfully sells his service to the highest ten percent of the consumer socio-economic world. My ears perked up when he described the time and effort he put into constantly honing and polishing every facet of his image.
 
“I wipe down my vehicle every day before leaving my garage, even if it is raining out. My customers are paying me top dollar for my work; I insure that they would never be embarrassed by my vehicle sitting in their driveway. I make sure that every aspect of my work is worth every penny. That’s my job!” (NOTE: Extra emphasis on the last three words).
 
He went on to talk about the care he takes when taking equipment into his customers’ homes, protecting furniture from damage, and wearing booties over his work boots so he doesn’t track dirt into the home. He knows that his customers are paying handsomely for these extra care touches, but more importantly he knows they are willing to pay him handsomely for these extra care touches and he ended his comments on the subject again by saying, “That’s my job!”
 
His up-market image is consistent. It shows in every branding and marketing tool he uses from the design and typeface of his logo, the quality of his newsletter, advertisements, and business card, his sparkling vehicle, even in his grooming. Every detail of his interaction with his customers is considered and that is one of the reasons why he is so successful. He knows what his customers want and what they are willing to pay for. He takes pride in his work and it shows in his image. “It’s his job!”
 
Image is just as important to those who are selling to other socio-economic groups. The critical issue is to constantly present your company, your products and services in a manner that impresses your customers and prospects plus gives them full value plus a little bit more and they will come back. As the man says… “It’s your job!”

Larry Galler works with professionals, small-business owners, contractors, and entrepreneurs to increase sales and profits through better, more creative marketing and effective administration systems.  Find out more by visiting his website LarryGaller.com.

Tom Hopkins

Live Event

Selling In Tough Times

June 15, 2010     10:00 am CDT

Register for this FREE event now!

Check this out!

Click here for a quick sales training tip.

Lighter Side of Sales

 What are the 3 most dangerous sayings in the Sales Dept.???
 
1. A rookie salesman saying “I learned this at new employee orientation”

2. A Sales Manager saying “Based on my experience”

3. A Sales VP saying “Hey, watch this”

Ziglar Recommends

 Closes, Closes, Closes
Closes, Closes, Closes features Zig as he demonstrates the numerous sales closes described in his best-selling book, Secrets of Closing the Sale. This will prove to be a valuable sales training tool as you learn the “How-To’s” of sales closing techniques.

For more information, click here. 

This newsletter is published by Ziglar, Inc.  Ziglar.com

admin Uncategorized attitude, closing the sale, professional growth, sales, sales professional, strengthen skills, Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar